In an unexpected and confusing statement, President Joe Biden recently suggested that he was vice president during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that began more than three years after he left office. This misstep occurred during a campaign event with the NAACP, adding to a series of similar gaffes that have raised questions about the president’s recollection of events.
“When I was vice president, things were kind of bad during the pandemic and what happened was, Barack said to me, ‘Go to Detroit! Help fix it,’” Biden stated, referring to his former running mate, President Barack Obama. However, Biden’s tenure as vice president ended in January 2017, while the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in late 2019 and significantly impacted the United States in early 2020.
This blunder adds to a growing list of Biden’s public speaking errors, which have been closely scrutinized by both supporters and critics. The president’s latest slip was made in Detroit, where he mentioned how a mayor there “spent more time with me than he ever thought he’s gonna have to!”
The event Biden seemed to be referencing might have been the 2008 financial crisis, during which the Obama administration, with Biden as vice president, took significant steps to rescue the auto industry. In 2011, Biden highlighted these efforts, claiming the administration had saved America’s auto industry from “the brink of extinction.”
Biden’s misstatement came on the heels of a lackluster commencement speech at Morehouse College in Atlanta. During this speech, he faced a divided audience, with several students turning their backs on him in protest. The president addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, expressing his support for an immediate cease-fire while maintaining his stance in support of Israel, a position that has caused friction among some progressive groups.
“I support peaceful, nonviolent protest,” Biden told the graduates, prompting several to turn away from him. “Your voices should be heard. I promise you I hear them,” he insisted, as many students donned kaffiyehs, a traditional scarf symbolizing solidarity with Palestinians.
The president’s visit to Morehouse marked his first trip to a college campus since anti-Israel protests began appearing across the country. While demonstrations at Morehouse were relatively tame, Biden’s support among black Americans appears to be waning. Recent surveys by Pew Research Center and NBC News indicate a decline in approval ratings and electoral support from black voters compared to his performance in the 2020 election.
Biden’s claim that he was vice president during the pandemic underscores ongoing concerns about his communication and memory. As he continues his presidency, these gaffes serve as a reminder of the scrutiny public figures face and the importance of accurate and clear communication in leadership roles.
Editor’s Note: This is more than a gaffe, this is memory loss, hallucination, and indications that Biden’s mind is slipping into nonfunction. Will people realize this before the election? The Democrats seem to want to ignore everything. We could very well have an invalid President.